Page 113 of Look on the Bright Side

“You didn’t change.” Lorenzo stood in front of her, looking at her scrubs.

“Hi,” she said. “Great observation.”

“Unsanitary.” He stepped aside to let her in.

“Nice to see you, too, Satan. Thank you for letting me and my germs desecrate your perfect house. Did you make us dinner?”

“No. I ate already.”

“Well, make me a sandwich, if you have bread in the house, that is. I’m starving.”

His blue eyes narrowed slightly. “I don’t remember you as being so…brazen,” he said.

“It’s your influence,” she said, sitting at the kitchen table. “You’re very direct and don’t care if anyone likes you. I’m learning from you.”

“I’m honored. Will a grilled cheese suffice? I don’t eat cold cuts.”

“A grilled cheese would be lovely. With mustard and tomato, please.”

As he assembled her sandwich and stood at the stove, watching it cook, Lark had to admit he was right. She was a little different these days. Once, being the nicest, most helpful, kindest person anyone had ever met had been Lark’s life mission. Maybe it was because this particular good deed—being Dr.Satan’s date this summer—hadn’t had the desired effect on Noni. Maybe it was the ER, where patients didn’t always like you—you didn’t give them the drugs they wanted, or you contradicted what Google had told them. They thought you were too young to be diagnosing them and wanted a “real” doctor, or this was their fourth time here for the same problem, and that was your fault somehow.

Her skin was thickening. It beat the pulsating, open-wound feeling she’d had these past seven years.

“Here,” he said, setting the plate down in front of her.

He’d cut the sandwich in half, and she took a bite. Oh, that was good. She bet the cheddar was top-drawer stuff, and the bread was sourdough.

He got her a glass of water, one for himself, and sat down across from her.

“Thank you,” she said. “This is fantastic.”

“So why did we need to meet, Lark? I’m very busy.”

“Right, right,” she said, taking another bite. “Um…this is a little awkward, but I’ll just say it. I have a crush on your brother.”

His head jerked back a little. “Dante?”

“Do you have another brother?” Another bite of sandwich. She could eat four of these, she was sure.

“But Dante? Seriously?”

She swallowed. “Yes, Lorenzo. He’s handsome and funny and good-hearted.”

“But he’s a firefighter.”

“Exactly. People love firefighters. Straight women especially love firefighters.”

He looked pissy. “I assumed that after talking to one, you’d change your mind.”

“Wrong again.”

Lorenzo pushed back his chair and folded his arms. “How did this crush develop?” he asked.

“Does it matter?” she asked, her mouth full. Sadly, that was the last bite. She’d ask for another, but she already knew the answer.

“Yes.”

“Well, we actually met a long time ago. I didn’t recognize him right away, but he…he did me a favor a few years ago in the course of his work.”

---